The invention relates to an intelligent and auto-adaptive toy capable of interacting with accessories which are associated with it and are actuated by a child.
This toy incorporates electronics allowing this interaction.
The development of the electronics and their incorporation into toys allow a wide variety and high degree of sophistication of proposed functions.
Thus, in addition to sound defects, motorization and remote control, all widely used at the present time, toys also incorporate artificial pseudo-intelligence such as in the toy known under the trademark xe2x80x9cTAMAGOCHIxe2x80x9d, the screen of which represents a character simulating a living being.
Document FR-A-2 297 066 describes a toy, capable of interacting with varied accessories. These accessories are provided with a magnet, which magnetic field is intended to close a REED relay integraded in the toy, and leading then to an electronic or electromecanic function. This technology does not allow recognation nor identification of accessories.
Document US-A-5 661 470 discloses a system of recognation of accessories. This system implements resonators, integrated within said accessories, and capable of getting into resonance when it lies within the frequency field of a reader, scanning the appropriated frequency range. However, while indeed this technology is a improvement in view of the preceeding one, it does not allow to implement an important amount of accessories, and further does not permit the exchange of information.
The present invention relates to the use of a particular and novel electronic architecture intended for equipping a range of toys and their accessories, having intelligent, interactive and auto-adaptive functions, possibly simulating a living being.
According to the invention, the toys equipped with this electronic architecture do not have the conventional technological interface formed by a screen and a keyboard.
They interact directly with the child via sensors and actuators controlled by a central computing unit incorporated into the toy.
Of course, the invention relates to any type of toy capable of incorporating such electronics, and especially to toys with accessories, imitating toys and toys used to set up a particular situation.
Among these, mention may more particularly be made of dolls and their ranges of clothes, fixed or movable furniture, toilet accessories, kitchen accessories, nappies, etc.
Within the same concept, mention may also be made of children""s kitchens with a full set of crockery, children""s workbenches or workshops with a panoply of tools and circuits, garages with a fleet of vehicles, scenery with a range of characters, etc.
Of course, these examples in no way limit the scope of the present invention.
According to the invention, this toy comprises a toy proper associated with a range of accessories and includes
one or more central processing units, comprising a microprocessor or microcontroller, incorporated into the toy proper;
an autonomous electrical supply intended to supply said central processing unit or units with electrical energy;
an assembly of one or more sensors and/or actuators connected to interfaces integrated into the central processing unit or units and intended to carry out functions of various types;
at least one inductive coupler connected to at least one central processing unit.
According to the invention
the accessories associated with the toy each include at least one inductive label intended to interact electromagnetically with said inductive coupler;
flowing through the inductive coupler connected to the central processing unit is a current of defined frequency and the inductive coupler exchanges with said inductive labels binary data corresponding to phase or amplitude states of the frequency modulation.
According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the central processing unit includes a device for the multiple recognition and identification of information, and does so in such a way as to allow sequential or simultaneous reading of several inductive labels lying within the reading field of the inductive coupler.
According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the central processing unit includes a device for the recognition and identification of information, in such a way as to allow binary and/or hexadecimal information to be written into one or more inductive labels lying within the reading field of the inductive coupler.